New Killer America

Skrape's 2001 debut album New Killer America brings hard rock to the forefront with a dazzling display of creative intensity. Due largely to the production of Ulrich Wild (Powerman 5000, Static-X, Taproot), the album takes on a very groove-based, mysterious aura, which tracks such as "Isolate" and "Sunshine" best demonstrate. Raw guitar riffs are combined with a very catchy, overlaid vocal hook on the album's first single, "Waste." The band's energy seems to be directed toward song craftsmanship; every song flows very nicely and has its own distinct vibe, while sticking to the overall concept of the album. The guitars tends to sound slightly dry and dull from time to time, which can relate to the lack of creative range in the heavy hard rock genre. New Killer America is obviously intended to quell this obstacle, as it does with much style and grace on most tracks — especially "Sleep," a very melodic tune that, despite its title, really awakens the senses toward the end of the album. This album presents a very bright and intelligent approach to hard rock.